Thank You For Loving Me
by crystallyrica
Summary: Rated M to be safe. Sasuke is still unsure of his feelings but hopes to keep the promise he made before he left for his redemption journey. Through trial and tribulation, will Sasuke keep his promise? Based from the Bon Jovi song.
1. Promise

Hello readers! I'm back after a stressful semester at uni. I will be updating the other stories. Promise. But I got inspired to write this fic from listening to a Bon Jovi song. It is SasuSaku, and it takes place mostly in his POV. Sasuke is a bit OC-ish, mainly because I'm making him internally snide.

I do not own Naruto or the characters.

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(Sasuke's POV)

It has been a year and a half since I left the village to embark on my redemption journey. Since I promised someone…I'm still unsure of it. It's not that I don't-never mind. I don't understand any of this. It's been a long time since I had to return love. Maybe if she moved on with Naruto, she would be happy but she's so darn stubborn.

Anyway.

I have just finished meeting with Orochimaru regarding a lead on a potential threat to a small village I am in service with. I sigh. It's all part of the journey to my redemption. If I can prove to the world that I'm a good man, maybe I can finally be deserving to-never mind.

My mind keeps doing that. I'll think about my mission or something mundane and it wanders to…her. This is annoying, like her. She's annoying, getting stuck in my head all the time. I can't look at pink without thinking of her and my promise. Living where her namesake grows and blooms doesn't help it either.

I huff.

Just focus on the mission, I counsel myself. Orochimaru said that the threat that was terrorizing the village was a small gang. Great, not this again. Apparently, they were poisoning the crops and the water supply. This is really more her forte. I bet she could make an antidote.

Maybe I should send for her...

Absolutely not! I have to leave her out of this.

Damn it, not these thoughts again.

Making my way to the small village, I hear a scream come from within it. I run toward the scream and find a small child being terrorized by some thug. Jumping in the middle of the altercation, I prepare to end the thug's life quick and painlessly but notice a peculiar symbol that rests on his right shoulder. A moon with three eyes. The same symbol that was graffitied all over the village when the gang would strike.

Change of plans. I quickly knock him out and carry his body to a secluded place outside of the village. If he's wearing that symbol, he could possibly be a part of that gang. I take out my water bottle and spray him with it. He wakes up, choking and sputtering. "Wha-Where am I? Who are you?" He asks, panicking. I activate my Sharingan and say in an ominous voice, "You and I are going to have a little chat." The tomoes spin and the man blacks out again.

Using the Tsukuyomi, I glean information from the thug. I learned that he is in fact part of the gang, which apparently is called "Followers of the Empty Eyes." What kind of gang calls themselves that? Doesn't make sense at all.

Another thing I learned was that the gang was having a meeting somewhere near here soon.

I decide to stake out the meeting.

I run through the trees to find the meeting place, an empty field with an odd stone in the center, and find a hiding place to stake out the meeting. I would inspect the stone but it's too close to the meeting time, I can't risk getting caught.

I open my ninja pouch to find something to eat. Pulling out a power bar from my rations, I was just about to open it when I felt cold steel against my neck.

How did I not sense this intruder? His chakra is completely masked as if it didn't exist in the first place.

He speaks, "What's this? A spy? At our gang's secret meeting? Well we can't have that."

A cloud of smoke appears as a log takes my place. The intruder looks around shocked that I disappeared. On a higher branch on another tree, I analyze my opponent and my options. Soon other members will be here, I better finish him quick. Lightning erupts around my hand as I charge at the unsuspecting back of my opponent. His figure dissipates in thin air, and appears on the branch of another tree. Damn it, I missed.

We engage in battle, blocking each other's punches until he jumps back and screams. The scream was unbearable, nothing a human or animal could emit. Otherworldly. He stops and smiles, "Soon my brothers will be here." I mentally curse and activate my Mangekyou Sharingan. I set him on fire with Amaterasu and he quickly crumples to the floor in agony. That was easy. Too easy.

I hear a rustle and turn to face the new intruder. A young boy, no older than ten, approaches me. Still on guard, I approach him wondering if he was kidnapped. He smiles maliciously and attacks me. Like a gunshot setting off a horse race, other gang members jump out from their hiding spots and attack me. I try fight them off and gain some distance.

Let's make this easy. I activate Amaterasu to burn them all. Watching the black flames engulf the five gang members as they crumple down in agony. Satisfied, I turn but feel a small prick of a senbon hitting my jugular. I turn back to them to see the flames gone and the five gang members unburned and poised to attack. The young child holding another senbon, ready to strike.

Shocked, I try to find reasoning behind this turn of events. How can they deactivate Amaterasu? Only I can do that.

We engage once more, my movements gradually becoming heavier and more difficult. The senbon! It had poison. But I'm immune after Orochimaru's experiments, it can't be!

I have to get out of here.

I make a clone to distract them and escape. Running through the trees at breakneck speed, I collapse at a river and wretch my insides. Splashing some water on my face and drinking from my bottle, my mind races for a plan. I am clearly outnumbered, they are immune to my Amaterasu, I am poisoned with an unknown toxin and I'm about to die.

I can't die…not yet...I promised.

I PROMISED! I have to call for help. As much as I hate to.

Grumbling, I call a hawk and write my message on a scroll and attach it.

Freeing the hawk, I turn unsteadily to the rustling bushes.

They caught up to me. I hope this isn't my last fight.

Using the last of my energy, I activate Susanoo'o and engage them in battle. Blocking their attacks, and dealing my own, I spot a figure standing away from the fight. "That was fast", I mumble. But with a closer look, I see the gang symbol on the cloak and red eyes. Red eyes exactly like mine.

My Susanoo'o dissipates and I am bombarded by my opponents. I feel my strength fading, I turn and try to cross the river using the river-walking technique. They stand at the river's edge, watching me. The young boy throws another senbon, I weakly attempt to dodge it but it hits my shoulder.

My chakra wavers, I fall into the river and I see black.

I can't die…

I promised….

I'm sorry Sakura.

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Damn that was long and chilling. I miss writing fanfiction. Hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 2 will be up soon.


	2. Saving him

(No POV)

Meanwhile in Konoha

A silver-haired hokage props his feet upon his desk as he rereads a previous volume of Icha Icha. He hears a tapping on the window and swivels his chair to see who dares to disturb him. Upon seeing a hawk, Sasuke's hawk, he lets it in and takes the message from it. He opens it, and his eyes-widen.

"Cat, call in Sai, Hinata, and Sakura." The anbu nods and goes to find them.

Kakashi bites his lip and makes a plan.

Moments later the three needed ninjas walk in.

"Is something wrong, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asks.

"It might be a mission." Sai states.

Kakashi breathes deeply and says, "You three must leave in an hour. Faster if you can. It's about Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes bulge as her mind remembers her last moments with him before he left. The forehead poke, his unspoken promise.

"What happened?" She demands.

Kakashi eyes his student carefully, not wanting to provoke her Tsunade-like temper. "He's surrounded, and poisoned. This will be a search and rescue mission. You are not to engage the enemy unless necessary. Simply retrieve Sasuke, heal him and bring him back."

'That's why I'm here I guess.' Sakura thinks.

"Erm. Hokage-sama, why am I on this mission?" Hinata asks politely.

"You are needed to track his location, Sai can make a quick escape and Sakura can make an antidote. Sakura, you are captain. Now that I have told you everything, hurry. Time is running out." Kakashi says warily.

The three ninja go to their homes and grab what they need and meet at the gates in under fifteen minutes.

"Everybody ready?" Sakura asks. They nod. "Okay, Sai make an ink bird so we get there faster. Hinata take the front and use your byakugan to find him."

Sai pulls out his scroll and makes the bird. Hinata activates her byakugan and sits at the front looking down, as the others get on and the bird takes off.

(Sakura's POV)

As my team and I soar through the air, I start thinking up an antidote. If it's a poison that affected Sasuke, it's not one Orochimaru is familiar with. Maybe not one known to man. Maybe I can't make an antidote and he dies. I shudder.

No. I can't think like that. I have to save him.

"Hinata, what do you see?" I ask.

"Nothing of Sasuke yet. I'll let you know." She replies.

I hold my head in my hands. I can't lose him. I don't want to lose him. I start tearing up.

I have to be strong. For Sasuke. I am his only hope. I wipe my tears away.

We have pass many villages by now, and are nearing the border of the Land of Fire.

All I can see is trees.

"Sakura-san, he's there." Hinata reports.

I perk up and look in the direction she's pointing.

I instruct Sai to land the bird. As we touch ground, I jump off the bird, and instruct Sai and Hinata to keep watch for enemies. I look around at the empty field lined with trees. Nothing in sight.

"Are you sure this is where you found him?" I ask Hinata.

"Yes Sakura-san." She replies.

I look around and still can't see him. Hinata speaks up, "I saw his chakra in this general area, closer to here."

She points to the edge of the river I never noticed. I walk towards it, stop and ask Hinata if she can use her byakugan through water. She looks at the river with her byakugan and her eyes-widen.

"He's in the river but he isn't conscious." She says.

That's all it took for me before I told my team to stay put and jumps in the river.

Descending to the lower planes of the river, a surprisingly deep river, I catch a glimpse of raven hair. Swimming lower and faster, I put one hand around him and use my chakra to enhance my strength to bring him out of the river.

Dragging him from the water I set him down on the ground. Sai and Hinata report no enemies in sight and standby me as I work.

"He's clearly swallowed a lot of water. I'm going to have to expel it from his system." I say before I prepare to perform CPR. Applying pressure to his chest in short jabs, and tilting his head back. I never thought my first kiss with him would be like this, I grumble.

I plug his nose and blow into his mouth. Nothing.

Please, I can't lose you.

"CPR strategies don't seem to be working. I need to force the water out with my chakra."

I place glowing hands on the spot where his lungs are and guide the water out of his mouth. I proceed to finish it with short jabs to his chest, and he spits out the water. My relief was short-lived when he collapsed again.

He can't die…

I check his pulse, it's very weak. "It must be the poison. I think I'm going to have to extract it from him." I say to my teammates.

I open my bag for a bowl and fill it with distilled water from a bottle. I place my glowing hands on him and search for the poison. It's nearing his heart. I need to make this fast. I find where the source is and make an incision. Using my chakra and the water to extract large amounts of the putrid green poison, I make silent prayers for him.

Please don't die. Please.

I finished extracting the poison, and place a wet cloth to bring down his fever. Storing the poison in a large vial and storing, I collapse beside him in exhaustion.

Sai looks over to me and says, "We can't rest here, we have to go." I get up with new energy, and instruct Sai to make another ink bird.

I carry Sasuke's body onto the bird, and we fly back to the village.

During the trip, I felt him shivering so I put a blanket I had packed over him. As the bird soared over the treetops, I watched rest. Occasionally, re-wetting the cloth with my water bottle, and checking his fever. He looks to be healing quite fast.

I look over to Hinata and Sai, they are giving me looks of pity.

Why? He's not dead. He'll get better. I smile back.

I push back Sasuke's bangs, and feel a hand grab my wrist. "Who are you?" He asks.

I smile, "Hello Sasuke-san, you're on your way back to the village." Sai says montonely.

Sasuke opens his eyes and I don't see the eyes I fell in love with. Instead, I see cloudy grey in his eyes.

He's blind.

Apparently, he's realized this too.

"I can't see who you are, and I don't recognize your voice. Again, before I get angry, who are you?" He demands, trying to sit up.

I lay a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back to his laying down position. "Shhh, Sasuke-kun. You need rest." He stops struggling, mumbles something that sounded like 'Sakura,' and falls asleep.

I stroke his cheek affectionately, and lay his head on my lap.

"Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. We will be in the village soon and I will find a cure for your eyes."


	3. Healing

(Sasuke's POV)

Everything hurts. I don't think I can move. I can't see either. Those gang members are going to wish they were never born when I get my hands on them.

If I could move them…

All I remember is walking on the river, getting hit with the senbon and then waking up, and hearing her.

 _-Flashback-_

 _As I awaken, I feel someone touching me. Soft._

 _But it could be an enemy. I jolt and question who it is._

 _All I hear is a voice I don't recognize say, "Hello Sasuke-san, you're on your way back to the village."_

 _Village? The small village? But the gang members? They must've captured me. I need to know!_

 _I open my eyes to see nothing but shadows. I can't see! They ruined my eyes! My lineage!_

 _I tried to sit up and demanded my captors, "I can't see who you are, and I don't recognize your voice. Again, before I get angry, who are you?" All I can feel is someone's hand on my shoulder, pushing me back. How DARE they touch me!_

 _I'm about to push them away when I hear the familiar bell-like voice that haunts me. "Shhh, Sasuke-kun. You need rest." "Sakura?" I try to ask but it comes out a mumble as I feel sleep overtake me._

 _I'm so glad it's you._

 _-End of Flashback-_

I try to make out the shadows in the room but to no avail, I cannot see anything. I smell anti-septic and flowers? I force myself to sit upright. I must be in a hospital.

I hear the door open and the clicking of heels. My eyes narrow. All I can see is a shadow of a woman?

"Who are you?" I ask harshly.

The clicking stops, I hear scribbling on a notepad and more clicking. I can feel someone sit on the bed and put their hand on my forehead.

I push it away. "Answer the-"

"Sasuke-kun, what are you able to see?" I recognize the voice to be Sakura's and relax.

"Nothing but shadows." I speak lowly.

She makes a noise of acknowledgement and scribbles again.

"Well, Kakashi will be here to get your verbal report on what happened and you should be released soon. I'm glad you're doing better Sasuke-kun." I feel her hand on my shoulder and indulge in the warmth. She leaves, and I start to feel cold once more.

Another knock on the door, and I hear someone come in. "Who are you?" I ask.

"I didn't think it was true when Sakura told me that you were blind. Now I see the truth." A voice I recognize to be Kakashi's states.

"You're here for my report aren't you?" I ask.

He makes an approving noise.

I told him, start to finish what happened; hearing the scrawl of a pen on paper, in which I can only assume he is taking notes.

After I finished, he thanked me and left.

I sigh and lie down, closing my eyes to sleep.

 _In my dream, it was a memory of that day I left for my journey._

 _She stood in front of me, with her pink hair and green eyes, looking at me sadly. I can admit she's beautiful. Full of life, and colorful. Color I won't see again._

 _As the memory played, I noticed the colors fading to grey. She asks if can come with me, but her green eyes fading to a lifeless silver. As I'm about to poke her forehead, I poke blackness. She's gone._

I wake up in cold sweat.

"Are you alright, Sasuke-kun?" I hear her say to me.

"Hn."

"I just wanted to tell you that you're being released from the hospital. Unfortunately, you cannot leave the village for three months due to your condition. But don't worry, we're finding a cure for it."

Three months? But those gang members!

I shakily stand up and feel her arm around me, steadying me. "Easy now. Why don't I walk you home?" She says. I don't disagree, and she helps me walk out of the hospital.

"OY SASUKEH!" A loud voice I can only recognize to be dobe's shouts. Sakura reprimands him. "Hey, he's healing. Not so loud."

"Oops sorry. Anyway it was great to see you back on your feet, believe it! I have to go meet someone." He says.

"Ooo is it another date with Hinata-chan?" Sakura mocks. Naruto sputters a no and races off.

I hear her laughing to herself and pulling me to walk. I comply. She talks about the hospital, how much she's missed me and the latest gossip, while I listen.

I realize, I don't mind listening to her. I kinda like it. Startled by this revelation, I try to push down those thoughts.

"Well here you are. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I'm here for you." She opens his door, and ushers him in. "Good night, Sasuke-kun." She says as she leaves. I grab her wrist but let go.

"Good night, Sakura." I say as I find my way to my room.

(Sakura's POV)

I don't know what that was about but I think he needs my help.

I briskly make my way to the Hokage building. I have to ask for this favor.

Knocking on the door, I hear a "come in," and push the door open.

"Sakura-san, to what do I owe the pleasure?" My former sensei asks cheekily.

I sit down in front of his desk and begin, "As you already know, Sasuke-kun's condition could take a while to find a cure for. In the meantime, he needs help readjusting to everything. I propose that I can assist him in his activities so that he is able to take care of himself. I also propose that I be put in charge of the research because I will be able to monitor his eyes."

Kakashi strokes his masked chin. "That sounds good. But curing blindness is next to impossible. And restoring both of his kekkai genkai is beyond impossible."

"I understand that, but I have recently been working on some research on restoring more sensitive cells to the human body. It's a build off the prosthetic arm research we accomplished. I believe this may help. I also believe it may have been the poison that caused this but I need more research." I say to him.

"Alright. I give you the clearance for this project, but how are you going to balance assisting Sasuke and researching a cure." He asks.

"I'll find a way. He may have to come with me while I research. I will also need a team." I say.

"Done. Also I'll file in a leave for you at the hospital for this project. You are officially in charge of Sasuke. Just don't overwork yourself. Sasuke's first thing to see shouldn't be a dead Sakura." Kakashi jokes.

"Hey! Don't say that. I'll be fine." I feel the red on my cheeks. "Thank you. I'll begin tomorrow."


End file.
